e camp were
busy now, and but for the quick and, literally, massacring fire poured
into the rush, would have been overwhelmed.

"The chief! The chief!" shouted the excited men. "Now, then, all at
him at once. We'll down the devil."

But they did not. Never still, Sapazani dodged the volley and laughed
exultantly. But even as he did so he leaped in the air and fell flat.
Those in her neighbourhood looked up at Verna Halse, who, pale as death,
with a red spot on each cheek and dull eyes, after one quick glance
began refilling her magazine.

"By God, Miss Halse, you've killed Sapazani!" ejaculated Sergeant
Dickinson. "You've killed the chief."

It was indeed so. While others had been concentrating their fire on
that whirling, bounding figure without result, Verna, her heart on fire
with burning longing for revenge, but her brain dangerously, deadly
cool, had been watching her opportunity, watching when a fraction of a
moment's stillness on the part of her quarry should give her the
opportunity she sought. It had comet and she had taken it.

A rousing, ringing cheer went up from the men. Already on the other
side the combat had become nearly hand to hand. Assegais now were
hurled into the camp, and more than one trooper was stricken. Minton,
the storekeeper, was raving and cursing with one sticking through his
leg, to the accompaniment of the howling of his progeny; but on the side
led by Sapazani the onslaught wavered. The dead and wounded lay
tremendously thick, and still the police bandoliers were not half empty,
and now amid freshly heartened cheers their contents still played upon
the roaring masses. Then, as the word mysteriously and quickly went
round that the chief was slain, the news instead of inspiring them with
the fury of exasperation had the contrary effect, and lo! as quickly as
they had come on they were now in full retreat. A rain of bullets
followed them, but no pursuit was allowed.

Verna had grounded her rifle, and stood looking after the retreating
enemy. Then she walked back to the trap and deposited the weapon,
speaking to nobody and ignoring the enthusiastic congratulations
showered upon her. The while the vanishing curtain of mist was hanging
in diminishing filminess over the hills, and the sun rose bright and
glorious into a vault of unclouded blue.

"If you'll take my advice," said Ben Halse to the Inspector, "you'll
have Sapazani verified dead without loss of time. They m